The recent death of Zuni ("Valdez dog dies in snare trap," July 10), a much beloved husky strangled to death by a wire snare set on private property, most certainly points out the absurdities and inconsistencies in our laws governing the use of snares and traps.
But apart from those glaring loopholes, Zuni’s killing also points to our anemic animal care and control infrastructure. She fell victim to a snare purportedly set to prevent dogs from attacking cattle in a community beset by homeless dogs, creating a situation rife with cruelty.
Her tortured cries, heard by a heartbroken neighbor, tell us not only that we must ban the use of barbaric devices that can’t distinguish between friend and foe, but that we must also ensure adequate funding for those tasked with animal care and control.
In rural and under-resourced areas across New Mexico, often referred to as “animal welfare deserts,” residents regularly report being accosted by packs of stray dogs while taking out the trash, or fearing their kids will be attacked while walking to school. That’s no way to live.
This dearth of animal welfare resources, including space to house stray dogs at the local animal shelter (if there is one) doesn’t just mean man’s best friend is left to fend for himself, roaming and reproducing. It translates to bites from unvaccinated dogs, collisions with strays on roadways, and increased risk of cattle depredation.
Zuni’s death is a siren’s warning to invest in animal care and control infrastructure now to prevent the companion animal overpopulation crises from spiraling out of control. The good news is that numerous studies show every dollar invested in animal care and control saves tax dollars over time and bolsters human well-being.
Let’s take the example of low-cost/no-cost microchip implant programs. Microchips increase the return of dog to owner rate by 50 percent, drastically reducing the dollars needed to intake, care for and re-home a lost, unclaimed dog.
And when officers are provided microchip scanners to use in the field, owners can be notified and reunited with their companions immediately, avoiding costs associated with transporting and sheltering that animal. Microchipping programs are a big bang for the taxpayer buck.
Even more obvious as a humane method of reducing the flow of animals into our already overcrowded shelters is making affordable spay-neuter accessible for all companion animals in New Mexico. Ballpark, high-volume spay-neuter can be provided for less than $100 an animal. The average cost to shelter an animal (house, feed, clean, vaccinate, socialize, market, adopt out or euthanize) can range from $900 to $2,000, depending on how long the animal stays at the shelter.
Hats off to our Legislature in both the 2020 and 2025 sessions for passing laws to support spay-neuter and animal care and control services (Senate Bill 57 and House Bill 113, respectively). But as welcomed as both those measures are, they aren’t nearly enough.
Both the Affordable Spay Neuter Program (created by SB 57) and the Animal Welfare Program Fund (created by HB 113) will need additional financial investments to bring relief to animals and people in need.
The time is now to press elected officials to invest in animal care and control resources to protect the health and safety of our local communities. As the community mourns Zuni, the sweet dog so many knew and loved, let’s make the changes necessary to prevent other animals from suffering the same cruel fate.
Stacy Sutton Kerby is chief government affairs officer for Animal Protection New Mexico. She lives in Santa Fe.
